Rail blockade threat over train timings

SATANANDA BHATTACHARJEE

Bairabi station in Mizoram. Telegraph picture

Hailakandi, June 8: The Young Mizo Association (YMA) has threatened to block all trains at Bairabi in Mizoram from June 25 if the timings of the Badarpur-Bairabi (via Hailakandi) passenger train are not changed.

At present, the train leaves Bairabi at 6am and reaches Silchar via Hailakandi at 10am. Thereafter, it leaves Silchar at 4pm and reaches Bairabi at 8pm.

The association has demanded just the opposite ó the train should reach Bairabi in the morning from Silchar and return in the evening in the greater interest of the farmers of the locality. A majority of the farmers prefer to send vegetables and fruits to markets in Barak valley in the evening.

In a memorandum to railway authorities, the association has threatened to block all trains for an indefinite period from June 25 if the timings are not changed.

Two goods trains were stopped for two days at Bairabi station by the members of the association.

The Hailakandi district unit of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) has condemned the associationís threat. ďWe condemn the demands of the YMA and will be compelled to launch a movement if the associationís demand is considered by the railway authorities,Ē KMSS leader Jahir Uddin Laskar said. He also threatened that all goods trains towards Mizoram would be stopped at Hailakandi station if they block the tracks.

Laskar said the KMSS has pressed for two trains along the route for the benefit of the passengers and urged the members of the association to extend their co-operation.

The KMSS has also submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of Hailakandi asking the administration to retain the present timings. Railway officials in Hailakandi, however, refused to comment on the Mizo organisationís demand.